The Jurisprudential Foundations of the Fight against Terrorism … · 2020-07-08 · The Jurisprudential Foundations of the Fight against Terrorism and Iran's Efforts in this Regard

The Jurisprudential Foundations of the Fight against

Terrorism and Iran's Efforts in this Regard

Muḥammad Rasūl Āhangarān1, Dībā Madanīzādah2

1. Professor, Department of Law – Islamic, University of Tehran, Campus Farabi, Tehran, Iran 2. Master’s Holder, Law – Islamic, Azad University, Semnan Branch, Semnan, Iran

(Received: June 19, 2019 ; Revised: October 10, 2019 ; Accepted: October 20, 2019)

Abstract Terrorism is an act whose nature and outcome is violence and fear. Regardless of the

different forms of the realization of this act in the past, it has taken new forms in the

contemporary era due to the advancement of sciences and technologies. To face this

phenomenon, then, it is necessary to foresee and apply appropriate and favorable

measures. As a victim of internal and external terrorism, the Islamic Republic of

Iran has adopted special strategies based on the teachings of the Islamic Law, the

Iranian Constitution, the national laws, and the international documents to fight

against terrorism. This study set out to examine and explore the legal strategies – or

more particularly, the legislative strategies – used by Iran to address terrorism

manifestations. The results revealed that Iran's anti-terrorism measures are mainly

taken from the rules and findings of the Islamic Law, though it partly relies on the

findings of the international law. Changes in the terrorists' performance urge the

Iranian government to use the international documents and obligations as a model in

addressing the new forms of terrorism and their formation and enhancement

grounds, bring about changes in its legislative system, and introduce more

organization into its strategies in this regard.

Keywords Terrorism, Anti-terrorist strategies, Order and security.

Corresponding Author. Email: [email protected]

Journal of Contemporary Islamic Studies(JCIS) http:// jcis.ut.ac.ir/

Vol. 1, No. 2, Summer & Autumn 2019 Online ISSN: 2645-3290

pp. 375-392

Document Type: Research Paper

mailto:[email protected]

376 (JCIS) Vol. 1, No. 2, Summer & Autumn 2019

Introduction Different forms of terrorism could be discerned in the past times. However,

the new and changed concept of terrorism is represented more with the

formation of national communities and establishment of governments.

Today, terrorists guide their violence based on their special ideology. They

even use the monotheistic religions to justify their violence. Although the

divine religions are far from such convictions, but the reality is that the

terrorists' acts have had a relative effect on and concerns over the religious

statements that are used by the terrorists. Terrorist threat against different

societies have made the governments to not only examine the ways to

prevent and fight against this global phenomenon, but also to establish

appropriate legal mechanisms to address terrorism at the national and

international levels. The numerous enacted international conventions are a

sign of the international reaction to terrorism. On the other hand, those

governments that have had more citizens as the victims of terrorism have

tried to apply more effective solutions in their internal laws through the

localization of these conventions and the enactment of special rules. These

are strategies that are displayed in the form of anti-terrorist legislation. At

the same time, the Iranian government cannot distance itself from religious

and divine options. Sometimes, an anti-terrorist action can violate the

human rights and be disadvantageous to the sinless people, because it is

possible that the ruling officials deprive their citizens from human rights

under the disguise of the anti-terrorist precautionary measures. This

concern necessitates the anti-terrorist performance of the government to be

based on law. It is this point that reveals the importance of proportionate

attention to all dimensions in facing this phenomenon. This article regards

Iran's military-legal strategies in fighting against terrorism, mainly based

on the jurisprudential resources. To this end, first the concept of terrorism

has been examined. Then, Iran's legislative solutions in addressing this

phenomenon have been addressed. Terrorism has been criminalized and

debated in jurisprudential sources such as Al-Mabsūt, Mukhtalif al-Shī„a,

Tadhkira al-Fuqahā, Miftāḥ al-Kirāma, Jawāhir al-Kalām, and Takmila al-

Minhāj, under the titles of Muḥāriba, Baghy and the like. The article tries

to explain this ominous phenomenon in an applied review based on

jurisprudential sources and clarify the Iranian law's stance to it and find an

answer to the question “What is the standpoint of Iranian law based on

Islamic law against terrorism? And according to Islamic law, how should

we act against it?”

The Jurisprudential Foundations of the Fight against Terrorism and Iran's Efforts … 377

The concept of terrorism The literal meaning In his Encyclopedia of Politics, Dāryūsh Āshūrī has noted that "The literal

meaning of the word terror in French is fear and frightening, and in politics, it

is attributed to governments' violent and illegal actions to frighten and

suppress their rivals. Moreover, it can regard the behavior of Para-militia

groups who commit violent and frightening activities to attain their political

goals. In addition, terror is also attributed to political slaughter." (Āshūrī,

1994, pp. 98-99). The Dictionary of Political Sciences provides the following

definition, "Terror is great fear and dread. Moreover, it has been used as a

party or movement that causes terror. Terminologically, it is attributed to great

dread which comes about as a result of violence, murder, and blood-shedding

by a group, party, or government, who seeks its political goals and wants to

attain or preserve power" (Aghabakshi, 2000, p. 583). In the Dictionary of

Social Sciences, Allen Biro considers terror as a mode or feeling of collective

fear that is a result of unlimited violence and slaughter (Biro, 1996, p. 426).

The common element of all these definitions and descriptions is fear and

dread. In other words, fear, horror, and dread are indispensable parts of terror.

So, all in all, terror can be defined as a behavior, individual, group, party, or

government that wants to achieve its goal(s) through violence, murder, blood-

shedding, and creation of fear and dread.

The concept of terrorism in the UN's viewpoint As an international player, the United Nations (UN) has had an affective role

in the formation of the foreign policy of the member governments and the

diplomacy of the regional international organizations (Buzurgmehrī, 2008, p

19). With the establishment of the UN, this organization – as a representative

of the international body – has tried to fight against international terrorism.

These activities are manifested in two general categories, namely, activities

of the UN organizations and institutes, and the enactment of international

conventions related to anti-terrorist measures. The performance of the

United Nations International Law Commission regarding terrorism can be

examined in its two important enacted drafts: the draft Code of Crimes

against the Peace and Security of Mankind – whose provision started in the

1950s and was finally enacted in 1996 – and the Statute of the International

Criminal Court which was enacted using the previous draft („Abdullāhī,

2009, p. 53). According to Article 24 of the 1991 draft, "Anyone who – as

the representative or agent of a government – commits one of the following

illegal actions or order its committing, will be sentenced after his/her

accusation is confirmed: Taking the responsibility, organizing, assisting,

supplying, motivating, or neglecting actions against another country with the


aim of destroying individuals or assets due to which, an atmosphere of dread

is created among state officials, groups, or people" (the draft Code of Crimes

against the Peace and Security of Mankind, 1991, p. 470). In December 1996

and based on its 52/210 resolution, the UN General Assembly established an

ad hoc committee with the aim of defining terrorism. In 1997 and 2005, this

committee successfully provided the draft codes of the conventions related

to Suppressing Terrorist Bombings and Acts of Nuclear Terrorism,

respectively (U.N. Doc. A/59/766, 4 Apr, 2005), and submitted them to the

General Assembly. In the last step and after five years of negotiation and

discussion over the definition of terrorism, the foregoing committee

submitted the comprehensive draft code on international terrorism to the

Assembly. Article 2 of this draft code has defined the international terrorism

as following:

Anyone who illegally, deliberately, and by any means causes the

occurrence of one of the following cases has committed a crime as

defined by this convention:

a. Death or severe physical injuries to any person,

b. Heavy damages to public or private properties, including publicly

used locations, governmental or state facilities, public transportation

system, infrastructural facilities, or environment

c. Damage to the properties, locations, and facilities mentioned in the

previous clause of this Article that leads to major economic damages

or has the potential for such damage, when the intent of that act,

naturally or because of its content, is to terrify the people or to force a

government or international organization to act or omit an act.

The second section of this article has considered a legal and severe threat

against committing the foregoing actions- which are viewed as terrorist

crimes. It should be noted that the development of a solid political-legal

strategy to fight against international terrorism is in need of consensus

among all governments and the consideration of the collective requirements

of the nations (see: Nūrī Ṣafā, 2008). Therefore, the success of any global

preventive and punitive strategy against terrorism relies on the theoretical

and practical application of numerous prerequisites, including the priority of

understanding the causes of terrorism over the efforts that address terrorism

as an effect (Aqā‟ī Khājipāshā, 2013, p. 237).

The position of Islam against terrorism First of all, it is appropriate to pay attention to the literal meaning of the

word Islam. the term Islam derives from the three-letter Arabic root, S -L -

M, which can be used to generate words with interrelated meanings,

including “surrender”, “submission”, “commitment” and “peace”. This


religion has always sought to avoid violence and terrorism and carry out

Islamic orders, and so, it provides a suitable platform for a society to

emancipate from the pressure of terrorism. According to Islam, harsh

behavior is allowed only in a certain range, and it is not easy to kill people

and put their property at risk of destruction. Based on the holy Qur‟ān in the

verse "whoever slays a person, unless it is for a murder or for spreading

mischief in the land, it would be as if he slew all humans; and whoever saves

a life, it would be as though he saved the lives of all humans" (Qur‟ān 5:32).

Only killing of two groups of human has been allowed, namely a murderer

and a corrupt on earth, and it is clear that the murder of someone who has

committed these two acts is not murderous and it is the penalty for the

murder of all people of the community. We read in a narration from the

prophet of Islam (s) that “terrorism is prevented in Islam and a person who

believes in Islam does not commit terror”1 (Rayshahrī, 1996, vol. 3, p.

2249). Therefore, in the examination of the Islamic approach to terrorism,

we must pay attention to verses and narrations which express respect for the

lives and property of people. This verse of the Quran could be such an

example which shows us the opinion of Islam in this regard, “And do not kill

the soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right. And whoever is killed

unjustly - We have given his heir authority, but let him not exceed limits in

[the matter of] taking life. Indeed, he has been supported [by the law]”

(Qur‟ān 17:33). Also for someone who endangers people's lives and

property, a heavy punishment is foreseen. For Muḥāriba – which is a type of

terrorisms – Heavy punishment is intended. The verse below is an example

for this stance, “Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah

and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but

that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from

opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a

disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment"

(Qur‟ān 5:33). The Prophet Muḥammad (s) sent Mu„ādh b. Jabal to Yemen

in order to call the people to Islam and teach them the practices of Islam,

including this practice: “Indeed, the law is founded upon wisdom and

welfare for the servants in this life and the afterlife. In its entirety it is

justice, mercy, benefit, and wisdom. Every matter which abandons justice

for tyranny, mercy for cruelty, benefit for corruption, and wisdom for

foolishness is not a part of the law even if it was introduced therein by an

interpretation.” (Ibn al-Qayyūm, 1991, vol. 3, p. 14). Another practice can

be: “Allah the Exalted has made clear in his law that the objective is the

الفتك قيّد االيمان إنّ فتك، وال إيماء االسالم فى ليس .1

https://context.reverso.net/translation/english-arabic/person


establishment of justice between His servants and fairness among the people,

so whichever path leads to justice and fairness is part of the religion and can

never oppose it.” (Ibn al-Qayyūm, 1421, vol. 1, p. 13). So from these

religious texts and many others, the anti-terrorist and peaceful views of

Islam are revealed.

The national and international legal approaches to tackle terrorism

Blocking terrorists' financial resources Globalization

1 of the anti-terrorism administration is a main criterion for the

success of the international anti-terrorism strategy. The fact that terrorism is

an international phenomenon makes it necessary to globalize the efforts to

fight against it (Nājīrād, 2006, p. 53). Therefore, the action-reaction system

against terrorism cannot be transferred to only a set of few international

players. A mere reliance on a political thinking or the preference of the

interests of one or some international player(s) cannot lead to a global

process of terror elimination (Ziyā‟ī Bīgdilī, 2008, pp. 10-11). An example

of preventive measures against terrorism can be found in the national and

international measures to obstruct the financial support of the terrorists. The

important point here is blocking the channels that are used to feed the

terrorists with financial and arms support. At a national level, such a

measure can be manifested in the prevention of opening bank accounts as

well as the confiscation of properties and assets. At an international level, it

can be done through imposing sanctions and obliging the governments to

block terrorists' properties.

Penal fight against terrorism In the absence of an international criminal court competent in addressing

acts of terrorism, the international criminal law conventions at the global and

regional levels try to create cognizance in the member states to fight against

the international terrorist acts. Expect for the few cases where they try to

establish a direct administrative system for addressing the international

crimes, almost all of the international criminal law conventions emphasize

the indirect administrative systems (Bassiouni, 1983, p. 58). In this indirect

administrative system, the regulations of the international criminal law

conventions are executed through the national criminal laws of the member

countries, and the countries that have signed the convention have to

cooperate in prosecuting and punishing the criminals (see also: Sharīfī, 2004;

Ālīpūr, 2009; Ghumāmī & Moḥsinī, 2003). The indirect administrative

1. To study more on the effects of globalization on the expansion of terrorism, see: Maḥmūdī

(2005).


system has been founded on the principle of "rendition or punishment".

According to this principle, “If rendition is avoided, the customary or

conventional regulations related to the international crimes will be executed

through the national criminal laws of the countries" (Bassiouni, 1983, p. 61).

From among the main changes related to the governments' responsibilities

about criminalization, trial, and punishment of the committers of the terrorist

actions, we can refer to the duties that follow the UN Security Council

Resolutions. For instance, the 1373rd

resolution of the Security Council,

enacted in 2001, includes a set of binding responsibilities for the

governments (Sarwarī, 2003, p. 348). According to this resolution, in

addition to a host of responsibilities, governments must prevent conducts

that facilitate acts of terrorism, and do not permit the terrorists to use their

territory for acts of terrorism against other countries.

The solutions of Iranian legislator to fight against terrorism The general initiative of the Islamic Republic of Iran's legislative

order in fighting against terrorism in the light of the Anti-Terrorism

Bill No matter how detestable is an individual's action or omission and how

harmful it is for the social system, it cannot be punished until there is a

decision over it or a rule foreseen for it (Ardibīlī, 2013, p. 180). Therefore,

any legal prohibition is in need of a factor that justifies the legality of

prosecution. This is called the legal factor. The legality of crime-punishment

relationship asserts that no one can be prosecuted for an action unless it is

punishable or criminalized by a then-valid law (Faḍā‟ilī, 2008, p. 269).

According to the second article of the foregoing bill, if the conditions

mentioned in the first article are fulfilled, the following crimes are

considered as the instances of the acts of terrorism intended by that article,

Murder, death threat, murder attempt or violent action leading to the

murder or severe physical injuries against civilians, abduction or

illegal detention and kidnapping.

Any deliberate, violent action against individuals who legally enjoy

international immunity, in a way that the life or the freedom of

suchlike people is endangered, or any action that inherently entails

such a danger.1

1. It seems that this rule has been taken from the enforceable international conventions that

the Islamic Republic of Iran has acceded to, notably, the convention related to the

immunity of the UN staff and its affiliates, which entails regulations about prosecution

and punishment of the committers of crimes against the UN staff and its affiliates.


Sabotaging the public, governmental and non-governmental properties

and facilities that leads to their destruction, brings about severe damage to

them, or interferes with their effective and normal functioning.

Affliction of severe damages to the environment, such as water

poisoning and forest ignition

Illegal production, possession, acquisition, transfer, theft, fraudulent

adoption, smuggling, transportation, retention, development, or

accumulation of poisons as well as chemical or microbial, or biologic

elements and materials, in an amount unjustifiable for medical,

scientific, or other peaceful goals.

Illegal production, supply, smuggling, trading, and use of explosives,

weapons, and ammunitions.

In the Anti-Terrorism Bill, the six foregoing clauses of Article 2 have

been categorized as special criminal titles under the main category of the

acts of terrorism. Those individuals who commit violent conducts to terrify

people in order to affect the policymaking, decisions, and actions of the

Islamic Republic of Iran, other countries, and the international organizations

are considered by the Anti-Terrorism Bill as committers of terrorist acts. In

Article 3 of this bill, any of the following acts, regardless of its results and

the intentions of the perpetrator is considered as a terrorist act:

Actions dangerous for airplane or aviation safety

Illegal occupation and control of a flying airplane1

Committing violence against flight passenger(s) and crew or

dangerous action against the properties of a flying airplane in a way

that is dangerous for the airplane safety2

Illegal production, possession, acquisition, transfer, theft, fraudulent

adoption, smuggling, transportation, retention, development,

accumulation, enrichment or explosion of nuclear elements or materials,

in an amount unjustifiable for medical, scientific, or other peaceful goals

Production, possession, acquisition, transfer, theft, fraudulent

adoption, smuggling, transportation, retention, development, or

accumulation of nuclear, chemical, microbial, and biologic weapons

Using or threatening to use the nuclear, chemical, microbial, and

biological weapons

1. An airplane is considered as flying from the time its doors are closed in the original airport

until its doors are opened in the destination airport, and this consideration is not related to

actual take-off. See also, Beigzadeh, Ibrahim. (2010). Notes from the public international

law course. Bachelor's degree, the University of Shahid Beheshti.

2. The 1963 Convention of Tokyo about the crimes and some other conducts in the airplane

foresees the crimes against the international aviation safety.


Unlawful occupation of a ship, imposition of unlawful control over its

cargo, destruction or affliction of severe damages to the ship, its

cargo, or its passengers in a way that the safety of the navigation is

endangered, or deliberate provision of false information in order to

endanger the navigation safety or to commit acts of piracy

Unlawful occupation or control of the fixed oil production platforms

or facilities located at the continental shelf, committing violent acts

against individuals present there, or committing any action to destroy

or damage these platforms or facilities in a way that is dangerous for

their safety1

Bombing public places, governmental facilities, public transportation

systems, or infrastructural systems

Any deliberate action to financially support the terrorist actions,

including direct or indirect opening of a bank account or fund,

provision and collection of charities, financial and monetary facilities,

currency trafficking, money transfer, financial and credit securities,

and other economic activities.

Finally, according to Article 4 of the aforementioned bill, all crimes that

are considered as acts of terrorism due to the special regulations or

international conventions that the Islamic Republic of Iran has acceded to

will be addressed by this bill. The annexed clause which has been foreseen

in this article is in fact a reference to the specific nationally enforceable

regulations and other international documents which the Iranian government

has been bound to enforce as part of the international conventions law.

Special legislation and special criminal titles in the Iranian anti-

terrorist legislative order The legislative order of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which originates from

the enlightening teachings of the Islamic law, has criminalized the conducts

that are considered as terrorist acts. Although the Iranian legislator has

categorized such titles as special titles originating from the Islamic Law, the

effects of this action is not different from similar actions of the other

governments. The initial and end goals are the maximum suppression of the

manifestations of the terrorist acts. In the Islamic Republic of Iran's law, this

has been represented as Muḥāriba (banditry), attempt against national

security, and other criminal titles.

1. The protocol on March 10, 1998 about prevention of committing unlawful acts against

fixed platforms located at the continental shell has considered such actions as

international crimes. See also: Ziyā‟ī Bīgdilī (2011).


Muḥāriba (banditry) The word ḥarb is the opposite of the word silm (Farāhīdī, 1410 AD, p. 213;

Ibn Manẓūr, 1414 AH, p. 302) and means fight; Miḥrāb (prayer niche) in

mosque is called so because it is a place of fighting against Devil, whims of

soul, and vain deeds (Rāghib Iṣfahānī, 1412 AH, p. 225). However, the word

muḥāribīn (bandits) in jurisprudence terminology is attributed to those who

use weapons to terrify people, regardless of conditions and their social status

(Fazil Megdad, ibid, p. 351). This does not involve any kind of terror,

though. It means death threat to take by force another person's property,

either overt or covert, in a way that if the individual is not frightened from

the muḥārib and does not let go of his property, the muḥārib kills him and

takes his property (Kāẓimīn, 1986, p. 209). In Shī„a jurisprudence, muḥārib

is a person who takes weapon and causes insecurity, either within or outside

the city (Qarashī, 1992, p. 114; „Arūsī Huwayzī, 1415 AH, p. 425; Ṭabrisī,

1993, p. 291). The qur‟ānic document used for the criminalization of

muḥāriba as well as corruption on earth is the 36th verse of the Table Spread

chapter, "The punishment of those who wage war against God and His

Apostle, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is:

execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite

sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy

punishment is theirs in the Hereafter" (Qur‟ān 5:36). As it was noted above,

the basic and main factor for an action to be terroristic is committing violent

actions with the intention to spread fear and dread among people. Such a

feature can be vividly seen in the muḥāriba definition. With the

consideration of the jurisprudential opinions and the examination of the past

scholars‟ opinions, one can define muḥāriba as following: "Muḥāriba is an

individual who has adopted and made ready his weapon to frighten people

and commit corruption on earth through usurping people's properties

forcibly and against their will" (Guldūziyān & Aḥmadīzāda, 2009, p. 208).

The coincidence of muḥāriba and intention to commit corruption on earth in

the foregoing manner can be traced in the jurisprudents' and other lawyers'

words. In his Taḥrīr al-wasīla, Imām Khumaynī has asserted that muḥārib is

an individual who adopts or shows weapons to frighten people and has the

intention to commit corruption on earth, and there is no difference if this

happens on land or sea, within city or out, during the day or night (Mūsawī

Khumaynī, n.d., p. 239). According to this opinion, in order for muḥāriba to

be realized, two conditions should be met: using weapon with the intention

for frightening, and the intention to commit corruption on earth (Guldūziyān

& Aḥmadīzāda, ibid, p. 260). From the viewpoint of the present-day

lawyers, too, the perpetrator‟s intention for threatening the public security on


the one hand and his use of weapon on the other hand are the two main

conditions for the realization of the muḥāriba crime (Guldūziyān &

Aḥmadīzāda, ibid, p. 260). Therefore, in addition to the presence of the

general evil intent – i.e. the deliberate use of weapon – the specific evil

intent – i.e. the intention to commit violence against people's life, properties,

or female family members – is necessary for the realization of this crime

(Mīr Muḥammad Ṣadiqī, 2014, p. 48). As a result, the common point among

all these statements is committing a conduct with the intention of spreading

fear and terror among people. This is one of the features of terrorism, and so,

regarding its nature, muḥāriba crime can be considered a terrorist act, which

the legislator in the Islamic Republic of Iran has set out to tackle. According

to Article 279 of the Islamic Penal Law, "Muḥāriba is using weapon to

commit violence against people's life, properties, or female family members

or to threaten them, in a way that causes insecurity in a place. When an

individual with a personal motivation uses a weapon against one or some

certain people and his act doesn't cause public fear of crime and also when a

person uses weapon against people but cannot cause insecurity due to his

inability, he will not be considered as a muḥārib."

Breach of the public peace Temptation and incitement When temptation and incitement is to be considered by the penal law of a

government as a criminal act or to be assigned some certain legal

consequences, it can be manifested in different ways; sometimes as aiding

the committer (see: Ardibīlī, 2013), sometimes as a cause for the

commutation of the sentence, and sometimes as a cause for liability and

responsibility for the conduct. However, when temptation and incitement is

considered as a crime that breaches public order and peace, we indeed note

its special meaning as a distinct crime. According to Article 735 of the

Islamic Penal Law, "Anyone who effectively tempt the armed forces or

individuals who in a way serve the armed forces to disobey, flee, surrender,

or avoid performing their military duties, and has the intention to subvert the

government or to afflict a defeat to the friend forces, is considered a

muḥārib". This article is similar to Article 23 of the Armed Forces‟ Crime

Act. Article 743 also criminalizes inciting people to fight and kill each other.

The Bill on Public Security The Bill on Public Security entails regulations that together can be

considered as a legal strategy to fight against terrorism in the present-day

legislative order of the Islamic Republic of Iran. According to Article 1 of

the Bill on Public Security, "Anyone who incites the laborers and office


workers of the factories and workshops included in the Labor Law as well as

enterprises to go on a strike, rebellion, disobedience, insubordination or to

violate the public peace and order, will be detained, exiled from 3 months to

1 year, and obliged to forced residence in a certain location. He/she will be

deprived of receiving wage or payment during exile and forced residence".

Article 2 of this legal bill asserts, "Anyone who compels the office workers

in the governmental offices and public institutes to go on a strike or incites

them to violate the public peace and order or to disobey and insubordinate

and also anyone who behaves against the peace, order and internal

procedures of the public offices and institutes, courts of law, and

prosecutor's offices or cry and bring about tumult, or to go on a strike or

protest to insult, intimidate, or affect the administrative and judicial

authorities, will be detained and convicted to the punishment stipulated in

the previous article. Moreover, the punishment for conspiracy and collusion

will be assigned for committing the conducts mentioned in this article and

the previous article. If the committee is a government employee, he/she will

be deprived of receiving wage and payment during the punishment and

forced residence time."

Acts of terrorism against public properties, locations, and

facilities Sabotaging the publicly used apparatuses and equipment Regarding the crimes against individual‟s personal properties and assets, the

legislator's policy and the legislation process are manifested in a

criminalization process similar to theft cases. However, with regard to the

importance of national and public properties, facilities, and assets, a more

appropriate and serious policy is needed. It has been stipulated in Article 12

of the Discretionary Punishments Law, "Anyone, deliberately or with an ill-

will or betrayal intent, burns or destroys the ammunition and weapon depots,

ships, airplanes, etc. or the important military or governmental locations and

centers or centers hosting governmental documents or records, and commits

the foregoing acts with an intention for corruption or subversion of

government, is considered as a muḥārib. Otherwise, he will be sentenced to

imprisonment from 3 to 15 years. In case he burns or destroys a

governmental property other than the ones mentioned above, he will be

sentenced to imprisonment from 3 to 10 years."1 According to Article 901 of

the Islamic Penal Law, deliberate burning of another person's construction,

1. The Discretionary Punishments Law, enacted on August 9, 1983, quoted in No. 11278 –

November 14, 1983


building, ship, or airplane, factory or warehouse can be an instance of

muḥāriba, and in case it is done to oppose the Islamic government, it will be

considered as an act of terrorism and will be sentenced to muḥāriba

punishment. Moreover, according to Article 913 of the Islamic Penal Law,

"Anyone who brings about destruction, ignition, breaking down, or any other

kind of sabotage against the publicly used equipment and facilities …

without the intent to interrupt public peace and security, will be sentenced to

imprisonment from 3 to 10 years." Of course, if such acts are committed

with an intention to interrupt public peace and security and to oppose the

Islamic government, it will be considered an act of terrorism and will be

sentenced to muḥāriba punishment.

Sabotaging the industries in general and sabotaging the oil industries As national properties as well as the financial and economic support of the

government and people, industries are protected by all legal systems. Since

these properties are part of the public properties, any encroaching of them

with an intention to subvert the legal government of a country can be

considered an act of terrorism. According to Article 1 of the Law of

Punishments for the Interrupters of Iran Oil Industries, "Anyone, deliberately

and with an ill-will, ignite or by any means destroy a main unit of the oil

industry, such as oil wells, centers for the separation of oil from gas, centers

for the storage of oil, centers for refinement, oil tanks, delivery centers,

major piers, pumps, oil-carrier ships, energy-production sites, offices, or oil

industry warehouses, will be sentenced to death". According to Article 2 of

the same law, "Anyone who deliberately or with an ill-will commits an

action that leads to burning or destruction of all or part of any machines or

equipment related to the exploration, production, refinement, delivery, or

distribution of crude oil and oil products, or buildings, vehicles, port

equipment, and communication means that belong to the oil industry, will be

sentenced to temporary imprisonment with hard labor from 3 to 15 years".

According to Article 1 of the Law of Punishments for the Interrupters of

Industries1, "Anyone who deliberately and with an ill-will ignites or by any

means destroys or implants explosives in any part of the buildings, passages,

machines, or facilities of any major unit of Isfahan Steel Company, Arak

Machine Making Company, Tabriz Machine Making Company, Iranian

Aluminum Company, Sarcheshmeh Copper Mines Joint Stock Company,

National Iranian Steel Company, Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial

Company, or Iran Helicopter Manufacturing Company or their affiliate

companies or units, including factories, forges, mines, machines, energy-

1. This law was enacted on April 22, 1974.


production sites, pipe lines, buildings, offices, warehouses, or airports, air

stations, or technical facilities of the national aviation industry, will be

sentenced to the degree one felonious imprisonment from 5 to 15 years. If

any of the foregoing crimes leads to murder of an individual, the perpetrator

will be sentenced to death." The fear from the occurrence of such criminal

conducts and attacks against publicly used properties and facilities has

manifested in legislator's foreseeing of the severest punishments for

committers of such conducts. The concern over the covert intention to

subvert or oppose the government can also be considered. Therefore, it can

be said that the aforementioned crimes are in a way acts of terrorism and

explain the policies adopted by the legislative order of Iran to fight them.

Conclusion Terrorism is a phenomenon that results from different causes and at the same

time, leads to the formation of different conditions. In the relationship

between terrorism and human rights, this phenomenon is caused by the

violation of human rights and the lack of stable peace conditions. On the

other hand, when an act of terrorism is committed, many basic individual

and public human rights are violated. The first right that is threatened is the

right for public peace and security. As a result, all efforts of the international

body are manifested in the two categories of the prevention and fighting

against terrorism. As examined in the present study, the international

documents and conventions emphasize preventing the occurrence of terrorist

acts through discussion among religions and civilizations, the enhancement

of discussion and interaction between the North and the South, the

improvement of the economic and financial infrastructures of the less

developed countries, blocking the delivery of financial and economic

support to terrorists, and the criminalization of acts of terrorism at both

national and international levels. Regarding the affirmative fighting against

terrorism – which is out of the scope of the present article – only short

references to the process of one-dimensional and multi-dimensional use of

force have been made.

The present study examined the legislative mechanisms and solutions of

the Islamic Republic of Iran in fighting against terrorism. As the biggest

victim of terrorism, the Iranian government not only holds itself responsible

for prosecuting the committers of such acts, but also – based on the

aforementioned statements – has the right and commitment to try to prevent

the occurrence of the terrorist acts and to fight against them. Consequently,

as the title of the article shows, the present study merely scrutinized and

examined the legal approaches of the Iranian government in this regard.


Thus, the military solutions of Iran in fighting against terrorism and its

judicial approaches have been manifested in the form of issuing enforceable

punishment verdicts against terrorists. Iran's legal approaches in this regard

are manifested in the form of general and specific legislations to support

national order and security, territorial integrity, the establishment and

stability of the armed forces and the survival of the resident government,

which have all been examined. In this vein, some initiatives like the Bill on

Fighting against Financial Support of Terrorism and the Bill on Defining

Terrorism have been referred to. However, these have remained ineffective

due to the lack of solidarity on the side of the legislative authorities of the

Islamic Republic of Iran. It is necessary that such documents and policies be

addressed again more carefully through an examination of the novel

necessities of the International body.


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